A tribute to the Mighty Met. Includes commercials!
(Via Vintage Los Angeles)
Alfred Hitchcock would be 114 years old today. Happy birthday, Sir Master of Suspense.
To celebrate, theguardian.com has charted the great director’s films in numbers — from character deaths to longest journeys — and finally attempts to answer the question: which is the most Hitchcockian Hitchcock of all?
(via theguardian.com)
Drumming excellence requires a complete mastery of dynamics. We want a “round” sound coming out of our two sticks, with each stick producing an identical tone and volume from the drum or pad. (Without sounding lopsided.)
Yet even the most experienced drummers, no matter how many years they’ve been playing, will confess to suffering a relative weakness in their L hand. (Or vice versa for lefties.) It’s almost a habit thing; after playing the backbeat on 2 and 4 for so long, we tend to rely on psychological “pit stops”, playing the L harder than the R on any given pattern. When called to play a pattern *softly* with the L hand (producing a sound identical to that of the R), the weakness becomes evident, and even frustrating.
My buddy shared a couple great exercises the other day, focusing on and “ironing out” this inherent weakness. Aim to make your Ls sound *exactly* like your Rs, so that a listener can’t tell the difference between the two.
The Haunted Mansion opened on this day in 1969 for the very first time. Photo via Vintage Los Angeles.
And for a bonus, some Paul Frees outtakes from the Haunted Mansion recording sessions. I could listen to this guy all day:
A collection of outtakes and unused narration from the original Haunted Mansion, providing a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse at the work of Paul Frees. The voice of Marc Davis can be heard in the background, as he and X. Atencio direct the recording sessions.
15 of the 18 lasted only half-a-season with the remainder airing for a year or so. Included: Good Heavens, Brian Keith Show, From a Birds Eye View, Nancy, Needles and Pins, Diana, Ted Knight Show, The Practice, Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers, Bad News Bears, Getting Together, Good Life, Barefoot in the Park, Bridget Loves Bernie, Anna and the King, Sanford Arms, Highcliffe Manor.
The music! (Thx, Zak.)
Via AW:
Guy writes science fiction screenplay. Takes care to tie up loose ends and create a coherent universe.
Studio brings in script doctor who punches up the dialog and adds explosions. Drops some of the explanations.
Script gets rewrite by big-name writer who adds his signature twists. Drops even more mundane “sciency” stuff.
Director shoots the film, concentrating on the action and letting the second unit film the expository talking.
Editor cuts the film down to 98 minutes. Has to cut out a lot of talking. Keeps all the explosions.
Viewer sees movie. Wonders what the hell just happened.
